The invention relates to improvements in full face miners, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,875 (the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein). While prior full face miners are very useful in the mining of low-coal seams and the like while providing maximum miner safety and complying with applicable Federal Safety Regulations, for some uses (especially where the face to be mined is about 20 feet wide or less) the conveying mechanisms for prior full face miners are unduly complex, and there are problems of maneuverability of the miner to and from the mine site. According to the present invention, both such drawbacks associated with prior full face miners are overcome, providing a simplified and more maneuverable structure.
According to the present invention, the paddle-type conveying means normally associated with prior full face miners is replaced by a plow operatively mounted to and longitudinally movable with each of the cutting heads of the miner. The plows move the cut coal or the like toward the center of the miner, and at the center a conveying mechanism--such as a conveyor belt assembly--is provided for conveying the coal away from and generally perpendicular to the face being mined. The plow arrangement is much simpler than the paddle-type conveyor arrangement, does not require an accessory power source, and is as suitable for accomplishing the end results, especially where the face to be mined is relatively narrow (e.g. 20 feet or less).
According to another aspect of the present invention, a full face miner is provided with means supporting the cutting head mounting means so that at least the end portions thereof are movable from a position generally parallel to the mine face to a position generally perpendicular to the mine face and extending in front of and in line with a central conveying means for the miner. Utilizing such an arrangement, the minimum width possible of the miner, considering the dimensions of the cutting head and central conveying means, is provided, making the structure more maneuverable than prior proposals for similar machines (e.g. see U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,424). A simple pivot arrangement may be provided as the supportive means.
In order to facilitate the movement of the miner to and from the mine site in the collapsed position, while not interfering with its operation during mining, powered motive means are provided operatively connected to the cutting head mounting means for supporting and moving the entire miner. Such powered motive means may take the form of a crawler attached to each end of the cutting head mounting means, or a pair of wheels associated with each end of the cutting head mounting means. Means are provided for mounting the powered motive means for movement from the first position wherein they are spaced from the ground with the end portions of the cutting head mounting means generally parallel to the mine face, to a second position wherein they are in operative engagement with the ground with the end portions of the cutting head mounting means extending generally perpendicularily to the mine face. In this position, the powered motive means support the entire miner for movement. This eliminates the necessity for a central bulky carrier arrangement (such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,424) while still providing the ease of maneuverability required.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved full face miner. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.